What Are The Ways To Determine Deviated Septum?

Posted on Thu, 26 Dec 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 26 Dec 2013 Answered on

Sat, 11 Jan 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : how would you know if you have a deviated septum also ,if you flush out your nose is the water supposed to come out the same nostril or will it come out the other side also if your nose was normal

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Rhinoscopy and CT Detailed Answer: Dear patient Thanks for the query. The best ways to determine if there is septal deviation and to quantify its degree are with direct rhinoscopy by an ENT (look with a little camera in the nose) and CT of the head. If you flush water from one nostril, there is a communication between the nostrils upstream so fluid should come out through the other nostril. Hope this helps wish you the best, Dr Brenes-Salazar MD Mayo Clinic MN

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (43 minutes later)

yes that helps I was in the ER earlier this week with major pain in my nose because I do you use cocaine for 6 months but when the doctor flushed my nose and it camoe out the other side that's what he said I have a udeviated septum. he didn't do a CTnor did he look at my nose with a camera but he put lidocaine hydrochloride in my nose . it helped but since then every day I still start to get really bad pain and I have this yellow mucus looking stuff which is stuck to the inside of my nostrils and some of that comes out but it still infected but he didn't get anything for the infection he saidit would automatically go away now I still use a little bit I am trying to stop but I asked for antibiotics and he said no should I still get them

Answered by Dr. Jorge Brenes-Salazar (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: Nasal saline sprays Detailed Answer: Thanks for the follow up. There may be some cleaning of the paransal sinuses to be done; an effective, safe way is to use daily saline rinses, for example Ocean Spray. I highly recommend the products by Dr Mehta, Netipot and smiliar devices, which are over the counter. Best regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar